1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical ligation clip typically used during a surgical procedure. More particularly, the ligation clip of the present invention provides a two-part assembly comprised of a track for gripping, for example, a blood vessel and a clip for closing the track to ligate the blood vessel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ligation clips used in surgical procedures are well known in the art. For example, clips are used in surgical procedures to ligate blood vessels. Typically, a surgical ligation clip uses a clamp to compress a severed blood vessel to stop the flow of blood.
One example of a surgical ligation clip is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,937, which is assigned to the assignee of the subject application. That surgical clip is formed of two substantially symmetrically-shaped arms connected together at an apex and a U-shaped member for manipulating the arms. Each arm comprises a more flexible portion and a bend at the more flexible portion. The surgical clip is positioned around the blood vessel to be ligated and the arms are manipulated to form a diamond-shaped enclosure around the blood vessel. The apex of the arms is slid within the U-shaped member to collapse the arms at the more flexible portions and tightly compress the blood vessel therebetween. The surgical ligation clip is made from a non-metallic material such as a synthetic bioabsorbable polymer with, for example, a glycolic and ester linkage.
While the clip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,937 incorporates many advantageous features, still further improvements in surgical ligation clips are desirable. For example, the subject invention provides a track with a surface for improved gripping of the blood vessel. In addition, a clip and the track are designed to cooperate with each other to temporarily lock the track in an open position for easy positioning of the clip around the blood vessel and to temporarily lock the track in a closed position for securely compressing the blood vessel. Still further, the clip of the subject invention is provided with tapered ribs to strengthen it and provide a tighter hold on the ligated blood vessel.